Wednesday, July 18, 2012

First day on the job with the Colonel

To be honest and I like being honest for lies are so hard to keep up with unless they can save your life then a lie can be much better than the truth. In this case the truth is hardly believable and lying would let you the average member of the public sleep better at night. But it would leave you without the story of one the most remarkable men I every met. Even thought at the time he was a woman.

Colonel Joseph Blackwell had serve his country faithfully for most of his adult life. Whether he was active military or serving as a government agent for various agencies with the whole alphabet letters like the CIA, NSA, FBI, JAG or whatever outfit needed him. If you needed someone to clean up mess made by an operation foul up, the colonel working for the DOD was the man to call. The Joint Chiefs never hesitated to call him on. When he got too old for field duty then started teaching but the last days of his normal life ended serving the country he love by working on recruiting a young woman of no more that seventeen years to work for the DOD because she had a brilliant mind for solving problems using AI. Doesn’t matter how big or powerful the machine is it’s the brains behind it will make it a success.

They had just arrived at the house of her parents when Joe heard an all too familiar sound.

Joe Blackwell motion for Amanda Robinson to stand behind him. The sound of Mach10 automatic pistol had reached his ears. He had played with the weapon the first year it came out. With one tap of a trigger, the weapon would send out a burst of three, three point five millimeter explosive rounds into a soft target or three hyper rounds to penetrate armor, the shooter could decide how the rounds acted with a press of a button on top of the weapon. What had reach his ears were the explosive round and thud that follow was that of body hitting a hard surface floor.

A Colt forty-five auto is in his hand. An attacker wearing armor would survive an attack from him but un-armored not a chance in hell. That is if he can get a couple rounds off. Being old Joe had to admit slow him down a lot. He couldn’t hop out chair like he use too nor get out of bed without some pain but right now none of that matter. His hands still work fine. The reflexes were a lot slower than when he was young but that only meant he had to shoot first. Joe motion for Amanda to stay put has he slowly turn the knob to the front door.

The door quietly opens and he gave a silent prayer for that. Then slowly he pushes it in. A body is laying on the floor in pool of bright red blood comes into sight but he can’t the attacker. Voices are coming around the corner to his right.

“You won’t tell me where the data is?” The voice belongs to woman. Someone not very old but who is determine to complete her mission

“You killed him.” The voice belong to an older woman spoke and came with a sob.

“I told him like I’m telling you. Give me the data and I’ll leave. Don’t and you’re dead.” She sighs. “Now where is the data?”

“A course. It’s not you with the data. Your daughter, works on large amount of data too and she has a brilliant mind.” The sound of something be pick up off a table reaches Joe, the woman asks, “This is her isn’t it?”

“Yes”, the old woman sobs, “Please don’t hurt her.”

Joe slowly moves down the hall, hoping in his old shoes would not make a sound. The only hope they had is if he can get shot off and kill this woman with one round or two rounds but the more time it took the more likely someone else would die.

“What time are you expecting her?” The woman’s voice is icily cold.

“Not till after four.” Older voice had paused.

“Thank you.” The younger voice says followed by the explosion of three more rounds and this time Joe watched a body hit the floor.

From behind him came a scream. Amanda had follow him and got to see her mother die. The attacker charged toward the scream but Joe is ready. The moment she turns the corner Joe fired and forty-five slug flew through the air impacting into what had to be considered a very beautiful face. The slug didn’t care so it smash bones and blew away soft tissue bringing an end to her life. A second slug had come from his gun. It course took it through her throat and out the back of her neck. Either one would have killed her but she was quick. For in brief moment she sighted Joe, she tap her trigger.

Three hyper-rounds slam him back and down into the floor. He watched ceiling pass by him the pain came. The pain was horrible. Joe’s body wouldn’t response to him as he try to move. All he could do was hurt and listen to the screaming that filled his ears. Something pass over him then darkness came and the pain faded. Yes death, Joe thought, I’m ready.

That is how the life of Colonel Blackwell ended and the beginning of his rebirth started.